A Strike at the Heart of Hell
by Phoenix1998
Summary: How will Sam and Dean fight back at Crowley? This is my continuation of the latest episode, Clip Show (s8 ep22). It definitely contains spoilers so if you haven't watched it, don't read if you don't won't spoilers :) T because of the 15 rating of SPN


**Hi :) this is my only all supernatural fan-fiction. I watched the new episode this morning because the bloody sun was in my eyes at 4:45 this morning... I should really start shutting the curtains and stop moon gazing xD and at the end I had this major plot stuck in my head so I started writing this. If it is liked then I will definitely continue it and it should be finished soon if I do make it a multi-chapter fic. :)**

**SPOILER WARNING! THERE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN THE EPISODE _Clip Show. _You have been warned :)  
**

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The impala pulled up outside the entrance of the bunker. The wheels sprayed the gravel and the engine purred gently as it came to a stop. The occupants of the car were quite. Unusually so. Any mood that the inside of the car had was sullen. Seeping from the brothers.

They had failed again. It had been there, right in front of them. In plain site. Crowley had known that in would be overlooked, in their rush to find it they hadn't thought to look. And now she was dead. Another one they had saved was gone and there was nothing they could do to prevent it happening again.

Dean opened the door and didn't hear the squeak of the hinges of his beloved car. All he could hear was blood in his ears. Pounding. He lifted his heavy arms to unlock the bunker. At least maybe they could find something to hunt. Save some others. Or would that make it worse? They had never been in this situation before. The fate of lives always rested in his and Sam's hands but sometimes a life would slip through their numb fingers. Now it was as though their arms had been doused with icy waters and lives were falling through each crack in their fingers. Then there was the after burn. At least they were numb before. Now the realisation kicked in hard. It felt as though the had put their arms into hells fire. It hurt. So very deep. Penetrating their souls, making them scream out.

Dean did hear the suspension and creaks of the car as Sam got out. He pushed open the large door and stepped into the chasm they had made home. Their footsteps echoed through out the place and shiny floor squeaked. There was still no sign of Castiel. Of course there wouldn't be it would be a while before they saw him again. No matter how much he hated Castiel at the moment he knew that in time he would forgive him. The war in heaven had damaged him and the security in his heart was damaged. To let Sam and Dean in was a miracle, to trust them.

As the brothers walked into the map room they were unsurprised to see the food all over the place. It was in a bout of inspiration that they had left to repair Abbadon. It seemed like forever ago. The thought of shutting the by curing her. Pulling out a chair Sam sat down but as he did so he broke into a fit of coughs. They scratched his throat and shook his lungs. As he put a hand to his mouth he was not surprised when he drew it back the fingers were laced with red. Even Dean had stopped giving him the sideways looks that he used to give him. The ones with disapproval, fear and his own pain. They were accepting that this was all part of it. That it was worth it. That was a battle Sam fought every day. was it worth it? Yes. Of course it was. They had to lock them all away.

But how could they now. With Crowley as good as blackmailing them into stopping the trials, and nothing they could do to stop him. They could give him the tablet. Risk war and their lives in doing so and prevent the gates from being shut. Or they could watch the people they saved be killed in front of them. What a choice.

The silence they had been sitting in was broken by another cough. This time from Dean.  
" So what are we going to do about this. Its not anything we have done before. Screwing with the king of hell. If we don't do what will it cost? How many lives? There is no way we can track those people before Crowley does so they are as good as dead." his tone was exasperated. How would they do it?  
" We need to find the tablet Dean. It is the only way to stop this. Or at least stop it quickly. Without a demon it is useless to us. There is no way that he is going to allow any demon near us and we have nothing else."  
" what is we give Crowley ... I don't know a replica?"  
"yeah right Dean because he won't notice that." Sam replied sarcastically.  
"it could be a very good replica. I mean for God's sake we've got the scribe of God with us. Couldn't he make it up?"  
"No I could not. " And there in the centre if the room. Stood Metatron, arm touching Castiel's as they landed.  
" I can only write the word of God when it cones FROM God. Since he hasn't been around for a while we don't know what he is saying."  
" It was only a suggestion. Where the hell have you been Cas? Why weren't you here?"  
" I wasn't aware I was under house arrest dean. I went on a run" he pulled out a bag from under his coat and then a crate if beers. Dean looked surprised at the gesture and even Sam looked up.  
" Did you get the pie?" a guilty looked came over Castiel's face.  
" No, the virgin said they didn't have any, even when I threatened him. And then Metatron came and we had crepes."  
For the first time dean took in the appearance of the Angel. There was a mark on his coat.  
" Wait, Cas is that blood?"  
" Yes"  
" Who did you kill? Please tell me it wasn't the ... Virgin ...for the pie ."  
" I killed an abomination. It was part of.." he cut himself off as the older angel shot him a look that said shut up to him.  
" No I need to tell them. It is not right to keep this a secret." Metatron scowled but didn't say anything. Castiel continued.  
" Metatron and I are going to save heaven." it was said so simply that it could have been a joke.  
" Are you kidding me? How?"  
" There are trials. Much like those to shut the gates to hell but for heaven. It was a reserve that God had in case the angels got out of control. "  
"God had a back up plan against _angels_?! What do you mean shut the gates of heaven? Won't that shut all of the angels in... Including you two? Why would you do that?"  
" A family meeting. If we shut all of the angels in one place then they will work it all out. Heaven would be at peace again-"  
"I thought that Naomi was in charge of heaven now "  
" No, there are many conflicting forces in heaven. Naomi is one but there are many more. Heaven is divided and fighting for the power. If the gates do not shut them the war will spread to earth. It has happened before and it was terrible. There was chaos in heaven and on earth."  
" So there is a chance to end the war in heaven, by shutting them all in. How are you going to do it?"  
" Yes dean, I have the chance to close the gates of heaven and stop the war. But I must complete the trials given to me, from the word of God. "  
" Great another lot of trials to go through. What are they..? No wait we have a bigger problem. Crowley is killing people who we saved. Throughout our lives anyone who we found Crowley is hunting them down and killing them all. He said he would kill one survivor every twelve hours... Unless we give him the demon tablet." the panicked look was back on deans face as he looked around again.

Nobody seemed to get the importance of this. Sam was sat there looking ill, Cas was still processing the information and Metatron looked almost un-bothered. What could they think to do to resolve this situation? They had to tread carefully to stay out of Crowley's claws and then to out smart him.

" Why don't you just finish the trials? Then the gates would shut and Crowley couldn't effect you." Metatron sounded bored now. He had more pressing concerns on his mind then a few dozen humans.  
" He said he won't let any demons near us. He worked out that the tablet is using demons to shut hell. Or hells creations. Hell-hound, soul from hell so then it would be something like that for the final trial."  
" Then why not use the deal to our advantage. The one thing we don't have here is the tablet. Which Crowley wants. Then why not convince him we have it." piped up Sam.  
"I don't get it, are you suggesting we _use_ Crowley?"  
" Exactly. Use him for the trial. We don't need the tablet with us, just a replica, a decoy. The demons won't be allowed close enough to us to check and then we will have gotten in. When we're in all we have to do is take Crowley down. With the colt, that stung him in the arm before... And took him down. That combined with holy water should at least keep him down long enough to get him in a trap. Then all we have to do in cure him."  
" Or you could just summon him here." Sam and Dean turned their heads towards Castiel. He looked straight back at them with no reaction.

A large, childish grin began to spread over Deans face, and he began to formulate his plan.

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**So what did you think? Any ideas or comments are welcome :)**

**Phoenix**


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